Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany now is saying the conference isn’t going to pursue a slate of Friday night games.
Yesterday during an appearance in Chicago, he clarified reports that he was seeking input about moving games to Friday to create a lucrative TV package.
Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune reports:
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany told the Tribune on Thursday the conference is not seeking to play more Friday night games, with the exception of the day after Thanksgiving. Friday night games on Labor Day weekend, before some schools are in session, will continue.
In addressing TV negotiations that are slated to begin in 2015, Delany said the conference is emphasizing increasing night games on Saturdays in November.
“We’re looking hard at more prime time,” he said. “We’re looking at many, many issues — 100 issues.
“We’re trying to enhance the (TV) package, but the notion that we’re playing Friday nights — I don’t think it will happen while I’m here. There are much higher priorities.”
Delany, whose contract runs through June 2018, said he took exception to a headline on Madison.com — “OK with Badgers football on Friday night?” — because it “gave the impression that we’re going to do it.”
“You never say never,” he said. “We might be playing on Netflix or YouTube (someday). You can’t know what is going to happen down the road.”
Now did Delany already get his input and discover that schools were in favor of Friday night games? Greenstein notes:
Delany said the three biggest obstacles to Friday night games are interference with high school games, the potential of missed class time for players and whether campuses can handle a weekday crowd.
Potential of missed class time for players? That’s funny, considering all the time basketball player miss during the season and especially during the NCAA tournament.
The original Friday night story broke out of Madison. However, it gained some traction when Tom Dienhart of BTN.com did a speculative piece on Friday night games earlier in the week.
Dienhart did a follow-up yesterday. He noted that in 2 1/2 years at BTN, he never got more response than he did over the Friday night game column.
Against:
Wanna really think outside the box? Play games at 1 pm on Sunday. There are legions of college football fans like myself who do not care one iota about the NFL. – Colin Meyer
Traveling for fans would be much more difficult for a Friday night game. And Friday nights are for high school football. I’m pretty traditional and think it needs to stay on Saturdays. – Bob
I may be a bit of a traditionalist, but Friday nights are for high school football. College football should leave Friday nights alone. How would college football like it if the NFL started playing on Saturdays in September? – Dave
In favor:
Love the idea of Friday night football for non-conference games. It would really be good exposure for the weaker teams in the league when they play the normal “cupcakes” that are on the schedule. What else is there to watch on Friday night? – Drew Freeman
Why would any football fan object to Friday night Big Ten football? It would provide an opportunity to see more televised games! Trying to see all of the Big Ten games on Saturday is impossible. In fact, why don’t you have one of the games every night of the week? Hmmmm. There is nothing else worth watching on TV. – Robert Kuhl
As for me, as I wrote yesterday, I’m in favor of a weekly Friday night game. I believe the impact would be minimal on high school football.
Also, if you spread it around among the 14 schools, you’re looking at a school hosting a Friday night game once every other year. This wouldn’t be for every game. I don’t think it would be that much of a challenge to pull it off.
As one person wrote to Dienhart:
I will take Friday night games over these miserable 11 a.m. starts anytime. – Gerry